Princess Anne's 'protective' signal to King Charles amid Prince Harry fallout

Having grown up together in the goldfish bowl of Buckingham Palace, III and have always enjoyed a close-knit bond. Now, as her elder brother contends with health difficulties amid ongoing family tensions, the Princess Royal has shown her support with a protective gesture.

As siblings, Charles and Anne differ in many ways. The sporty princess is widely regarded to take after their late father, , with her forthright approach to life, while Charles is perceived as more of a sensitive individual, who struggled with shyness as a boy.

At 76, King Charles has had to settle into the role of monarch while facing treatment for cancer, as well as dealing with a strained relationship with his youngest son, , who recently shed light on their fractured bond.

Throughout it all, Princess Anne has shown loyal support for Charles, making her affection for her brother clear during a recent show of solidarity on the balcony.

READ MORE:

Anne, 74, and Charles could be seen watching the VE Day commemorations unfold from the iconic balcony, accompanied by the Prince and and their children, , Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

The family appeared unified as they marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, with Charles appearing to be in good spirits as he waved to the crowds below.

And Anne was on hand to "quietly keep an eye on her brother", as per body language expert Judi James. Judi told the : "During one moment on the balcony Princess Anne, who had been chatting to her brother in a strong display of unity during the fly-past, seemed to notice that Charles was waving to go indoors before the anthem had been played.

"Placing a hand out to pat him affectionately on the back, she seemed to warn him so he could turn and get into position. It was a gesture that suggested Anne is quietly keeping an eye on her brother."

In a recent interview held after he lost his legal challenge over his UK security arrangements at the Court of Appeal, Harry, 40, expressed a wish to "reconcile" with King Charles, reflecting: "I don't know how much longer my father has."

Speaking with BBC News, , who stepped down as a senior working member of the five years ago, shared: "There have been so many disagreements between myself and some of my family. Of course, they will never forgive me for lots of things, but... there's no point in continuing to fight anymore.

"Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has, he won't speak to me because of this security stuff. It would be nice to reconcile."

Following Harry's bombshell interview, Alisa Anderson, former press secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth II, branded his comments about the King's health "unhelpful". She said: "That's going to cause real concern and more speculation in the media and the wider public about what his diagnosis is, which is incredibly unhelpful going forward.

"What you don't want to do is have your private life played out in the media. So if you truly want reconciliation, you'll do it in private, not in a News interview."

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com. Follow Mirror Celebs on , , , , , and

READ MORE: